Valparaiso started strong on Monday afternoon, winning two of
the three doubles matches, but ended up dropping a 6-3 contest with Shorter College
on day two of competition during the Crusaders’ annual spring trip in Orlando, Fla.

Playing NAIA rules which
score one point for each doubles victory as opposed to one point for the team
that wins two out of three, the Crusaders jumped on top 2-1. Kevin
DeHerrera (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield
H.S.) and Adam Whitmer (Shipshewana, Ind./Westview
H.S.) topped Jordan Hubbard and David Araiza 8-2 at number three doubles to
score the first point of the match. Alex Lau (Bloomington,
Minn./Jefferson Senior H.S.) and Tom Litscher (Eau Claire, Wis./Memorial
H.S.) followed with an 8-4 triumph over Robert Benjamin and Bourrat Remi at the
top of the lineup. For Lau and Litscher,
it was the duos fourth straight victory at the top of the lineup.The Hawks
found the scoreboard at second doubles as Luis Quintero and Stanislas Rodier
downed Kyle Stump (Plymouth,
Ind./Plymouth H.S.) and Phidias Fortune
(San Antonio, Texas/Madison H.S.) 8-5.

“This was our best start to a
match this season,” head coach Jim
Daugherty said. “We came out in
doubles with a lot of energy and then started the same way in singles. We played well in singles, just couldn’t
sustain it long enough to win.”

Shorter (7-3), ranked 13th
nationally in the NAIA rankings, rallied in singles action to win five of the six
matches and earn the victory, but not until after Valpo increased the lead to
3-1. Whitmer posted a straight sets,
6-2, 6-0 win over Hubbard at the number six spot in the order, the freshman’s
second straight win, and tying him for the team lead with five singles
victories.

The Hawks then began their
comeback. Benjamin defeated DeHerrera
6-3, 6-2 at number three singles while Quintero was a 7-5, 6-2 winner at the
fourth spot against Fotune. Remi topped
Litscher 6-4, 6-1 at number two singles while Rodier defeated Lau by the same
score at the top of the lineup. In the
final match of the day, Stump forced Araiza to a third set at the fifth spot
before falling 6-1, 4-6, 6-1.

Valparaiso (2-4) will return to action on Tuesday evening as the
Crusaders will face South Dakota State in Orlando. First serve is slated for 5:30 p.m. CDT.